CHAPTER XXIX.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 126, 31 October 1885, Page 6

CHAPTER XXIX.

" I WANT YOU ! COME TO ME 1" " Katie ! Oh ! Katie 1 wake up i I have news, such wonderful news to tell you !" Candice called in the Irish girl's ear, Katie was dozing in an easy-chair by Baby Mark's bedside. But she did not tir. Candice took her by the shoulders and shook her gently. Katie woke, at last, and rubbed her eyes with amazement to see the radiant face bending over her j how much more was she astonished when Gandice snatched her glasses from her eyes and threw, them with a merry laugh into . the far corner, of the room, where they lay. until, next) day's sweeping brought them to light again.

mistreaa going orazy? jKatie, wondered unea&ily, sleep evanishingc vanishing from her eyes as if' by magic' Candice was laughing at her as if divining. her very thoughts. •'I'm not crazy, Katie, only happy j happier than I ever thought to be again I" "In spite of the yaUer-haired gurrel, MibS Gandioe ?" , " Yes, in spite of * the yaller-haired girl,' Katie!" Candice replied, joyously, "for she is Mark's own sister !" "I knowed it, Miss Candice, and paid it was not best to cross the mountain till you cum to it 1" " And you never told me, Katie 1" Candice said, reproachfully. "I didn't find time yet, Miss Candice. Shure I only followed him yisterday, and the likes of me couldn't think of an aisy way to break it to you softly like. Thinks I to meself to-morrow will do ; and now you've found out without poor Katie's help.!" "You followed him, Katie?" Candice cried, as the servant paused for want of breath. "I done just that, Miss Candice; "I tamed detective for shure and followed him home and saw his yaller-haired gurrel at the window which wasn't his wife nor swate heart, but his own sistor, who dominicked over you at Valley Farm so unmarcifully !" v.Do'mirieeredi you mean, Katie 1" Can dice corrected, and then a peal of laughterloud and longrang out over Katie's " taming' detective," startling " little Mark from his slumbers, who threw, the covers aside restlessly j then, sleep overpowering him once more, he closed his e/es and slumbered as soundly as ever. Candice arose and replaced the covering, then went over by the window and stood there looking out. Midnight hung over the city, but she could not sleep for very joyousness, and, turning to Katie, who was yawning terribly in spite of her efforts to appear • -wide awake, said, pleasantly : "Go to bed now, Katie, but come to me early in the morning, for I have an errand for you to do for me." Katie obeyed, and, in less time than it takes to write it, was slumbering soundly, but Candice never oloaed her eyes the entire night ; she could not sleep, and when morning - dawned and Katie rapped at the door, ncr eyes grew round ' with astonishment at beholding Candice still in her opera dress of velvet, and with the Farma pansies drooping on her bosom. "Oh! Miss Candice, how could you?" Katie said, reproachfully. " Why didn't you go to bed ?" " I could not sleep, Katie, and I am not tired in the least." By her appearance Candice spoke the truth, for the listless look had entirely vanished from her face, never to return. " What can I be afther doing for you, Miss Candice ?" Katie asked, quickly. " You told me to come to you early in the morning." "Take this to my husband'B boardinghouse, Katie," handing her a letter directed, "Mark Maynard, City." "Be sure you give it to Mr Maynard himself, and wait for an answer." " He'll know me, shure, Miss Candice !" "It makes no difference, Katie ; tell him Uncle Sam employed you, tell him anything, only do not tell him Mrs Leej and Candice are the same I" So Katie went away quickly, and had gone nearly a square, when she came back hurriedly and wanted to know what she should do with the "errant," indicating the letter, if Mark Maynard was not at borne. " Bring it back to me, Katie ; but hurry, for I cannot rest until I undo the wrong I have done him in my thoughts t" Katie hurried so rapidly that her young mistress had just finished dressing when she cams into the room, with a very red face and panting loudly, the letter still held lightly between her thumb and forefluger. "He was not there?" Candice asked, with a quiver of disappointment in her voice. " No, mum. Gone home to Valley Farm, the landlady sez. Sez she, ' They're gone, mum, bag and baggage, and not coming back again Now, what shall Ido with the errant, Miss Candice ?" " Give it to me, Katie ; " and taking the letter, Candice directed another envelope to Valley Farm Station, and putting a stamp on one corner, handed it back to Katie, who was patiently waiting for orders. "Take ib to the post-office, Katie. Then that is all I can do but wait." The letter contained only a few lines, and Candice could remember every word. It ran thus : "Mr Mark Maynard : Since meeting you last I have made a discovery, and have a long explanation to make to you I want you ! Come to me I— Mrs Lee." Wliat would he think? Doubtless that she Vas very imprudent ; but would he come 1 Would he give up his arrangements for going abroad and come to her? Two days of dreary waiting ! Would the time never, never pass? And suppose he did not come ! Would it not punish her justly for her doubts of him ? Meantime at the farm all was commotion, and in the joy of having her loved ones at home with her once more Mrs Maynard had grown comparatively young again. She gazed at Mark, and then at Leta, as if afraid it was not reality. Not one word was said to wound Leta's .feelings, and not the slightest explanation was required of her, so she resumed her old place naturally enough among them again. Mrs Maynard took her in her arms, and kissing her, said, lovingly : " Leta, child, I have missed you terribly ! Thank God ! you are at home once more !" Letatfept on her sheulder. She knew the words had been spoken from a heart chastened by sorrow, and ahe kissed her mpther affectionately. Mark was down at the station the next day ; he had a commission from his sister Alice to one of the dry-gopds stores, and more from the force of, habit than aught else entered the tiny post-ofhce and inquired for the Maynard mail. He wasnotexpectingany ■ thing, aad thinking the letter handed to him was for Mb mother or Alice, he put it in his coat pocket and never thougt of it again until he returned home and pulled it out of his pocket along with the parcels he had just purchased. "I had almost forgotten," Mark said carelessly; ''here is a letter for one of you." His mother took it fr6m him quickly j letters were a rarity at Valley Farm, and she wondered who had taken the trouble to write to them, Glancing at the envelope she noted the epistle was for Mark, who had not even looked at the name written on it. ' Why, ' Mark, it's for you !" his mother said, in astonishment. " I hope it is not a business letter- that will call you away from home; but that, is scarcely likely, for the writing is in a delicate female hand." ".For me?" Mark asked, wonderingly, and his first thought was of Candice. Taking the note from the envelope, hereadthe few lines hurriedly, "I want you 1 Come to me I" stood out before all the rest, and then the name, "Mrs Lee I" What did it mean ? , Why -had, she written to him to come to her? His mother gazed at him anxiously. , 'Ms it bad , news, Mark?" she asked, tremulously, %

, "No, mother, not bad news ; only. I mußt go back ttf Chicago by the next traini*' 1 "What is it, Mark ?" " Leta asked, timidly. "I cannot tell you, Sister, for I do not know myself;" * , Although he put 'the family off with a : careless answer, he wondered ovor the atrangeness of Mrs Lee's request. That she regretted her conduct toward him he saw fully, but why she should care to send for him directly after hia return home was a Bubjeot of the wildest conjecture to him. Mark was in a fever of impatience, even when journeying toward the woman who , had humbled herself enough to send for 1 him, for that one so haughty and proud as Mrs Lee could forget her fancied injuries and make apologies was very far from his imagination. That one so proud could plead to him for forgiveness ho could not think ; wut something had happened ; she needed him, and he would go to her 1 (To be Continued).